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Beethoven – more than music

Beethoven was not known for his business skills, but that doesn’t mean we can’t learn some things about business from him:

1. Put yourself in front of the right people

Beethoven’s father gave him his musical foundation as a child. At age 10 he studied under Christian Gottlob Neefewho introduced him to Bach. The court, in which he studied, sent him to Vienna to “study with Mozart.”

Mozart remarked, “keep your eyes on him; some day he will give the world something to talk about.” After Mozart passed away Beethoven studied under Haydn and Antonio Salieri. Soon after he made his first “public debut in Vienna on March 29, 1795 (biography.com). Beethoven is not the first person we think of when we think of networking, however, it was the fact the he was put in front of the right people that he was able to have such great success. By being prepared to put our best foot forward and in our every contact and continually seeking opportunities to establish meaningful relationships. The fact is people need us to have success and we need them. If you want to leave a mark in this world with your business, remember to recognize successful people and connect with them.

2. Recognize all variables to the business

Some of his best music was written during the time when he lost his hearing. His passion kept him not only going but helped him persevere through his deafness. His success was not dependent only on his ability to hear but also on his understanding of music theory, his emotional influence and the intuition he had developed in music composition. Business people must understand all variables which lead the business to success and develop the weak points when appropriate. If Beethoven had only developed an ear for music he would have been out of luck when he went deaf.

3. Steadfastness

Beethoven has said, “This is the mark of a really admirable man: steadfastness in the face of trouble.” We learn from Beethoven how to not let circumstance get in the way of our progress. Beethoven had many trials both in his family and physically that affected both his personal life as well as his career. He was able to push forward not only leave his mark in the world, but make music that has lasted the tests of time. A businessman who is able to keep his or her focus on the vision of the company without letting other distractions veer his or her focus will leave a mark in this world.

4. Recognize Accomplishments and Competitive Edge

It was not simply about getting in front of the right people, but also showing his talents which helped Beethoven rise to greatness. It is important to recognize what gives your business its unique competitive edge and what it has accomplished. Sometimes our competitive edge is not completely apparent to others and requires more explanation. There has to be a reason why someone will choose your business over another (and vice versa). Make the reasons why they should choose your business over another clear and unquestionable.

5. Perfection

Beethoven was an incredible musician. It is very evident that he had natural talent. But even with the talent he was blessed with he practiced and dedicated a lot of time to his talent. As a business person you need to keep this in mind for both good and bad business habits. If you are practicing below par standard, it will become easier to give a below par output. There are so many things that businesses should focus their attention on practicing. These things vary with the industry but some of them include: sales pitches, elevator speeches, positive body language, mastery of industry specific software, relevant business equations, industry specific skills, interpersonal skills, and the list goes on. As a student we put much effort to receive a decent grade based on what our teachers ask of us. We should it be any different in the business world. The only real differences are that you don’t have a teacher who tells you what to do and your compensation may be based on your performance.

6. Mentors

Just as Beethoven learned from powerful people in his industry, business leaders can develop relationships with which they can learn from the expertise of others. Are there noncompeting people in your circle of friends and influence who you can learn from? Are there others you can get to know who can teach you important knowledge and skills?

Notable Quotes

“The barriers are not erected which can say to aspiring talents and industry, ‘Thus far and no farther.’”